Sewing-machine attachment for sewing sweatbands to hats



Jan. 1925 1,523,760

'J. T. DOWDALL SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING SWEATBANDS TO HATS Filed Nov. 23, 1925 INVENTOR M57 700mm BY A'h'ORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

UNETEE STATES JAMES T. DOWDALL, OF GLEN I'JL'OBBIS, NEW YORK.

SEWING-MIACHINE ATTACHMENT FOB SEVL ING- SWEA'IBANDS TO HATS.

Application filed November 23, 1923. SeriaI No. 676,500.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES T. DOWDALL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Glen Morris, Queens County, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Attachments for Sewing Sweatbands to Hats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sewing machine attachments for sewing sweat bands into hats and in particular to an attachment whereby the band may be applied to a hat through the medium of an intermediate member rather than being applied directly to the hat as is the present practice.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a means for fastening a sweat band in place which will eliminate an undesirable feature that appears in hats where the edge of the band is sewn directly to the hat, that is the cracking of the leather where the threads have pierced the same.

A further object is to provide a device whereby the sweat band may be sewn to the hat, the sewing threads of which will pass longitudinally through a leading cord which has been subsequently applied in the well known manner to the edge of the sweat band. A further object is to provide an attachment whereby the band may be applied to the hat rapidly, accurately and efficiently.

Referrin to the drawings wherein I have shown a desired embodiment of my invention Figure 1, is a view in side elevation of my improved attachment as used on a sewing machine, the sweat band being shown in cross section and in position to be applied to a hat, the latter of which is partly shown in outline,

Figure 2, is a perspective view of the band guide plate, the band being shown in outline in position thereon,

Figure 3, is an end view of the attachment as seen in Figure 1, and

Figure 4:, is an enlarged view of the band as applied to a hat, the binding stitches being clearly shown.

Referring more in detail to the drawing indicates the work support arm and 6 the needle supporting member ot a sewing ma chine of any conventional make. The end of the work supporting arm is provided with the usual shuttle holding head 7.

The head 7 in this instance is provided with two oppositely disposed bosses 9 having bores 10 passing therethrough which are adapted to retain the horizontally disposed arms 11 of a band supporting member, generally indicated by 12. These arms 11 are connected by a vertical inverted V-shaped piece which fixedly carries at the top thereof, a saddle 13. This saddle is provided with a central bore 14: through which loosely passes the pin 15 of a rest 16. The rest is provided. on one end with an upturned portion 17 which overlies the edge of the hat band when the latter is in position thereon. The upturned portion is provided with a depending lip 18 which limits the turning movement of the rest 16, the turning thereof providing a yielding movement to the sweat band when the same is being sewn into the hat. The lip 18 contacts with the edge oi the saddle 13, when the rest 16 revolves, so that undue rotary movement of the latter is prevented.

The arms 11 are each provided with two adjustable sleeves 19 and 20 having set screws 21' therein which hold the sleeves in any position to which they are moved upon the arms 11.

Coiled expansion springs 22 surround the arms 11 and are disposed between the sleeves 20 and the end of the bosses 9 and hold the rest 16 in yield-able spaced relation with the head 7. By adjusting the sleeves 19 and 20 therefore, not only the tension on the support may be adjusted but the distance between the head 7 and the saddle 13 may be varied to accommodate sweat bands of ditferent widths.

The tension of the springs is more or less utilized when a sweat band is placed on the rest 16 and on the head 7 in position to be operated upon, as a slight pressure of the upturned portion 17 against the sweat band will force and hold the same securely against the edge guide 21. This edge guide is a small piece of metal provided with a cut out 22 and a projected portion 28. the latter of which is undercut as at 2 1 to allow the passage therethrough of the edge of the sweat band and to hold the same down against the plate 27. This guide is suitably tastened as by screws 25 and 26 to the head 7 over the needle hole plate 27. the needle hole 8 being disposed in the out out portion 22 of the guide 21, and adja ent the projected portion 23.

the same from moving away from the plate 27.

In "carrying out the objects of my invention therefore, I have provided the necessa'ry-'sewing machine attachment and in applyin'g the sweat band to the hat, I provide the sweat band in a well known manner with a leading edge dord81 which is sewn securely to the edge of the sweat band as byfthe stitches 32. 7

Then, instead of sewing the leather sweat band directly to the hat material, as has been-done heret-'ofore,'-I sew the leading cord 31 only, to the hat material by the stitches wlri'e'hextend longitudinally of said cord, andjdo not enter the band at any point.

This removes the objection not only to the ragged appearance of the sewn leather after the hat is used for a time, but also to the "bulging effect of the cord :produced -by*stitching the band to the hat directly behind the cord which ultimately causes the latter to curl up and present a rough edge to the head of the wearer.

In this method therefore, of applying the band to the hat, the *threads which ordinarilyipass throughthe bandand fasten the sarn'e't'o the hat are 'not used and there is no "i"atlt1al'-cutting'0f the leatherby the threads when the hat is being put on, which ;produces the objectionable "ragged edge of leather before referred to,

Having described 'my invention, what I cl'aiin is:-' v w 1. An attachment for sewing machines comprising a. guide adapted to be attached to the head Fpiece of tliemachine, a hat band supporting member held in said head and spring pressed arms on said supporting member whereby the latter is yieldably maintained in spaced relation with said head. 7

2. An attachment for sewing machines comprising an adjustable yieldable support, a band guiding in'e'i'nber pivotally associated with I said support, said guiding member having an overturned portion, andimeans on said member for limiting the pivotal movement thereof.

3. An attaehmentfor a sewing machine having a 'l16'3;l portion, comprising a support resiliently held in spaced relation to said portion, a guide plate on the head portion,f a hat band supporting member pivot ally held in said support, and means onthe support whereby the distance between said supportand the head portion maybe ya rijed, and a retaining finger pivotally associated with the guide plate and'a-dapted to be moved to a position to overlie the hat band beyond said guide plate.

4. In combination W ith'a sewing maehine I n i i. having a head portion means resiliently connected to and spaced from said portion for supportinga hat band, a guide'o'n the head for maintaining the edge of the band over the needle hole, and a member pivotally associated with the support for maintaining the edge of the band to be operated'upoii in position against the uide, said memberli'aving-an overturned edge portion which overlies said hat band edge. 5. In a sewing machine attachment, guide member against one edge ofIivhieh contacts a hatband to be operated fupon, a retainer ipivotally 'assoeiated with saideguide member and having a portion adapted to overlie the band beyond saidguide member whereby the same is prevented from moving upwardly above the guide, and means for limiting the pivotal movement of 'said retainer.

JAMES T. DOWDALL. 

